A Fantasy in Calamity
by carbytothecore
Summary: When Emily’s mom dies, Matt and Emily take a trip to Albany, NY. Em&M. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: If I really owned Standoff I wouldn't be writing ff.**

As Matt Flannery walked through the halls of CNU he saw his partner in the locker room. She had her cell phone up to her ear and looked like she was on the verge of tears. He just stared at her through the window. When Emily hung up the phone, Matt counted to four and then entered. Emily's head was engulfed in her locker.

"Emily," Matt said trying to get a look at his partner's face. "What happened?"

Without pulling her head out of her locker she answered him, "I'm going to need to take a few days off."

"Emily," Matt responded to her poor response to his question.

Emily pulled her head out of her locker. Her face was tearstained. "My mom died."

Matt pulled Emily towards him and she collapsed in to his chest. He put his arms around her and embraced her.

As Emily grieved for her mother, Cheryl walked in to the room but left quickly and silently after she saw Emily breaking down in Matt's arms.

When Emily pulled away, she realized Matt had a wet spot in the center of his tee shirt. "I'm sorry," she said with a hint of a smile.

"Don't worry about it," he said not taking his eyes off of his partner. "What are you going to do," Matt asked.

"I don't know. I need to talk to Cheryl and take some time off. Book a ticket to New York. Contact my dad and some other people."

"I'll talk to Cheryl and book the tickets."

"Thanks, Matt"

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Matt knocked on a door.

"Come in," said the voice on the other side. "What seems to be the problem," Cheryl asked as Matt walked in. "Emily seemed pretty upset earlier."

"Her mom died," Matt said. "She and I… we, uhhh… need to take a few days off."

"How is she doing, " Cheryl said, concern etched in her voice.

"She's…" Matt paused, "Emily. She's doing the best she can."

"Tell her to take all the time she needs," Cheryl said, "And tell Emily that I'm sorry for her loss."

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Matt booked the tickets from LAX to Albany Airport departing at 10:30 p.m. He walked up to Emily's. When Matt reached her door he reached into his pocket and grabbed the key Emily had provided him and opened the door. Matt walked in and found her living room and kitchen empty. He placed the food on the kitchen counter. Matt gently knocked on her bedroom door and entered. He saw Emily shaking, facedown in her bed. Matt quietly kicked off his shoes, laid down next to Emily and hugged her.

Emily didn't hear Matt come in but she didn't have to guess that it was he next to her, comforting her. She felt safe in Matt's arms.

When Emily finally pulled away she asked about Matt's talk with Cheryl.

"Cheryl sends her condolences and said to take all the time you need," Matt said. "And the plane should take off in about six hours."

"Thank you," Emily said.

"Don't worry about it," Matt said pressing a gentle kiss on Emily's forehead. "How was your father?"

"An extravaganza, as always." Emily was looking down at her comforter. "Long story short, he's not coming to the funeral."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. My father is a jerk." Emily felt Matt entwine her hand in his. "He made my life and my mother's life miserable. I was actually kind of happy when they announced they were getting a divorce."

Matt kissed Emily's hand. He didn't know what to say. He never had to deal with his parents fighting. He sometimes thought that his mother's death was a good thing. However, whenever Matt thought that way he ending feeling guilty. "Do you need some help packing," Matt asked.

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Neither Matt nor Emily spoke on the way to the airport. Matt finally arrived and parked the car. When he got out to open the trunk Emily remained in her seat. Matt noticing this immediately walked past the back of the car and over to the passenger side.

He opened the door and bent down. "Emily," Matt said. "Talk to me."

Emily opened her mouth but no words came out. She closed it and then opened it once more. "I can't believe she's dead. It just seems to unreal." Emily's voiced cracked and she hoped that Matt didn't notice. "She called me the other day and I saw her number and didn't pick up. I wish I did."

Matt gently pulled Emily out of the car by her arm. She rose and closed the door. Matt pulled out both suitcases. Emily didn't really want Matt to see her any weaker then he'd already.

"Matt," Emily said. "Why did you bring your suitcase," already knowing the answer.

"Emily," Matt knew what to say this time, "I know you don't want me to come but you need me to. This is painful and no one should do it alone." Matt didn't feel the need to say 'burying a parent' out loud. He still felt pain whenever he thought about his mom. "And anyway," Matt continued, "I want to come."

_I want to come… I want to come._ The words kept repeating in Emily's head and for the first since her mother's death, Emily felt truly happy.

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Checking in and security was, as always, a hassle. It took forty-five minutes to check their bags and then Emily's suitcase was two pounds too heavy. She and Matt had to rearrange her bag. The security line was very long and took an hour and fifteen minutes to get through.

When the two finally got to the gate they barely had anytime to get some coffee before they boarded.

When they were both in their seats Emily turned to Matt, "Did you reserve a place at a hotel or something because I really don't want to sleep in the house."

"Yea," Matt said. He could see that Emily was nervous, scared, and exhausted. "I also rented a car. We should be in New York by twelve thirty-ish EST."

Emily looked into Matt's eyes and smiled a thank you. She was so tired. Matt gently stroked her back coaxing her to sleep. Emily rested her head on Matt's shoulder sleep succumbing her and not much later, Matt was asleep as well. Both didn't move until over five hours later when they landed.

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When the two arrived at the hotel they unpacked their bags.

"So what time do you want to wake up tomorrow?" Matt knew that a lot was to be done over the next few days.

"I think around eight," Emily replied. "I have to see a mortician, visit some family and meet with the lawyer. I know I was her next of kin."

"Alright," Mat said setting the alarm clock. "Are you planning to go to the house?"

Emily paused, "I don't know. I've been thinking about it," Emily said sitting on the bed. Matt followed suit. "I know I should and it probably will make me feel better, but it's her house. It's weird."

Matt kissed the top of her head. "Do you need me to get anything," Matt asked. "Do anything? Want anything?"

Emily laid her head on the pillow. "Only you."

Matt laid down next to Emily and pulled her into a gentle embrace. Her back was to his chest. The two were breathing in unison, and in that moment they both knew that there was nowhere the two of them would rather be.

**A/N: Okay. I hope you liked it. If you didn't, tell me. If you did, tell me. I am very slow with writing and I am sorry. I don't expect this to have more than five chapters.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary: We all know what happened when Matt's mom died, but what would happen if Emily's mom died? **

**Matt and Emily take a trop to Albany, NY after Emily's mom dies.**

**Disclaimer: If I really owned Standoff I wouldn't be writing ff.**

The next day Emily and Matt met with the lawyer, picked out a casket and sat down to eat lunch.

"I'm going over to my aunt's house tonight to have dinner," Emily said.

"Are you two close," Matt asked.

"Not really," Emily answered picking up her menu, "I really only saw her on Thanksgiving and when I came to visit my mom." Emily hid her face behind the menu.

Matt knew this was not the time or the place to push Emily to talk and digressed the conversation, "So what do think of Lia and Duff?

"Lia really likes him," Emily said, "And Duff can't tear his eyes away from her during class."

"You should hear him talk about her." Matt replied, "He'll make up any excuse to call her and doesn't deny his feelings."

"They'll be together in no time," Emily added just as the waiter came over to take their orders.

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Emily and Matt sat down across from the mortician's desk waiting to be graced by his presence. Matt felt his heartbreak with empathy. Instinctively he grabbed Emily's hand and kissed it.

Emily looked at Matt and put on a fake smile.

When the mortician walked in he began talking about the burial. Emily decided that it would be at the same cemetery that her mother's parents were buried. It was scheduled at noon in two days. The mortician explained that he should receive the clothes and casket twenty-four hours in advanced.

After talking over other details the mortician took them to see Emily's mother. The mortician showed them to a cold clammy room with two tables and led them to the farther of the two tables. As the mortician folded over the sheet Matt intertwined his fingers with Emily's.

Emily began to shake as she saw her mother lying on the table. She was pale, blue, and unmistakably dead. Emily felt her body trembling and tried with all her might not to cry. She would not show her weaknesses again. Once was more than enough. Emily tore her eyes away from her mother's face and turned to the mortician, "Anything else," she asked.

Matt was shocked and upset by Emily's reaction. He expected Emily to be distraught by seeing her mother dead. Instead she seemed detached.

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When the two reached the hotel, Matt knew he had to confront Emily before they went to meet her Aunt.

"That was sad," Matt said hoping for a response.

"Eh," Emily humphed channel surfing.

"Emily," Matt said, "Can we talk about this please.

Emily gave another despondent humph.

"Em," Matt tried again, "We both know I am not really the psychology type and normally I really don't know how to talk to people, but here, on this topic, I do."

"I wouldn't say that," Emily said still not turning her head from the television, "You convince people not to kill hundreds of other people on a daily basis."

"You know what I mean," Matt said getting frustrated. "Can you at least look at me?"

"What," Emily asked turning off the T.V. and turning her body toward Matt. "Do you want me to freak out and not be able to properly compose myself. Or maybe you want me to have a mental breakdown and be placed in the loony bin. Or maybe you just want me to break this off."

"Emily," Matt pleaded, "Please."

"I think I am just going to go to my aunt's alone," Emily said grabbing the keys, and before Matt could get another word out, she was gone.

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"You are skin and bones," Ms. Yanuck said placing a plate pilled in food in front of Emily. "Eat and tell me about this boy and why he isn't here."

"Aunt Debbie, how do you know about Matt," Emily asked.

"Your mother told me," the woman replied digging in to her plate of food.

Emily flinched at mention of her mother.

"Emily," Ms. Yanuck said, "Your mother was very proud of you and loved you very much, but she would not approve of the way you are handling this."

Emily remained silent as she ate her dinner.

"Emily, this is not like you," Debbie said, "You are normally very good when dealing with your emotions. What happened? Is it that boy? Did he do something to you?"

"No," Emily said cutting off her aunt, "Matt's great. He didn't do anything and I am fine. I am handling this fine. Death is a part of life. There is nothing to deal with."

"Emily," Debbie said concerned, "You are an only child with an ass of a father, and I am sorry that we haven't been as close as I wanted."

"Aunt Deb-" Emily started.

"No sweetie." Debbie cut her off, "I understand, but if you don't want to deal with your mother's death fine. I mean it's not fine but I am not going to force anything on to you, but where is your boyfriend. If he is great then where is he now?"

"He stayed in the hotel." Emily said picking up her glass and taking a sip. "We had a bit of a disagreement."

"So he came with you," Ms. Yanuck asked with interest.

"I don't think it's going to last," Emily said.

"Sweetheart," Ms. Yanuck consoled, "Your mother told me all about how much you raved about him. She said that you seemed like you were in love. I know, you never said anything." she added seeing the look on Emily's face, "But if he isn't as great as he seemed… Em, you live all the way across the country and no family close by. Please, if you want to, take some time off and stay with me. Not too long just a couple of weeks and we can improve our relationship."

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Matt was distraught. He was angry with himself. He knew that it was too soon for Emily. He knew that and ignored it. He had been in the same situation as Emily. He wanted to use his knowledge of a parent's death and help Emily. He could never really relate with his past girlfriends but Emily was different. She brought out the best in him. She never seemed to mind his funny quirks.

It was almost midnight and Emily still had yet to come back to the hotel. Matt really hoped that Emily didn't mean what she said. As he thought of her last words out the door tears started to stream down his face. Matt began to cry.

**A/N: Like I said I am a slow writer but I will definitely update more often now. I just got out for spring break and then only six weeks left of classes! I may do a few oneshots along the way to keep myself amused. Good? Bad? Tell me. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary: We all know what happened when Matt's mom died, but what would happen if Emily's mom died? **

**Matt and Emily take a trop to Albany, NY after Emily's mom dies.**

**Disclaimer: If I really owned Standoff I wouldn't be writing ff.**

"Flannery," Matt said answering his phone.

"Matt," Emily said.

"Emily," Matt said, eyes widening at the sound of her voice, "Are you okay?"

"Yea I'm fine," Emily answered. Beginning to feel bad, "I'm sorry I didn't call last night. I slept over my aunt's house."

"Emily _I_ am so sorry," Matt expounded, "I shouldn't have pushed you."

"Matt," Emily said, "Lets not do this over the phone. I'll be at the hotel room in thirty minutes and we'll talk then."

"Em," Matt started.

"I'll see you in a bit," Emily said and hung up the phone.

"Sweetie, are you sure you want to do this," Ms. Yanuck asked.

"I am," Emily said, "It's the one thing I have been so sure about since I've got here."

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Thirty-three minutes later Emily knocked on the door and then opened it.

"Hi," was the only thing she could get out.

"Hi," Matt replied, "I missed you last night."

"Me too," Emily said beginning to feel the tears well up. She had to tell him. She had been planning it out all morning and all last night. She knew she had to do it. "Matt, I have…" she began but could not finish.

"Emily," Matt said coming closer to her. He looked in to her eyes, "I can help, if you want me to. And if you don't want me to I won't. I just want to be there. Always."

"Matt," Emily pleaded, "Please don't. I'm-"

"I love you," Matt interrupted. He began to pour his heart out, "Emily Lehman, I love you. I've loved you since the time we were assigned. I'd do anything and everything for you."

"Then _please,_ go back to L.A." Emily said unable to look Matt in the eyes.

"What," Matt said, his face dropping.

"I have a few vacation weeks coming up and I am going to spend some time getting to know my aunt and some other family. Find my family and myself. I know it sounds stupid a twenty-nine year old woman going to find herself," she said with a chuckle, "But I never did it while I was young but I'm going to now, while I still can."

"Emily," Matt said trying with all his might to keep his cool, "Are you ending this?"

Emily didn't say anything as she continued to hold back the tears. All she could do was turn her head.

Matt, who was near tears himself, said, "Then look at me and tell me you don't want to be with me. You find that we shouldn't be together. Tell me you don't love me."

Lying had become secondhand these past few days to Emily but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Not now. Not to Matt. Not when she loved him. Not when she loved him so much that even thinking about breaking up with him had caused her to cry. "There is a flight to LAX in four hours. I'll stick around until you finish packing and then I'll drive you to the airport."

"Emily," Matt tried.

"Matt please don't," Emily asked. The tears finally flowing down her cheeks.

"I'll catch a cab," Matt said, "Go be with your family."

"Thanks, for everything," Emily said, and with that she was out the door.

**A/N: Road trips have a tendency to be boring. Blame it on NorCal and their stupid cows. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary: We all know what happened when Matt's mom died, but what would happen if Emily's mom died? **

**Matt and Emily take a trop to Albany, NY after Emily's mom dies.**

**Disclaimer: If I really owned Standoff I wouldn't be writing ff.**

Emily sat next to her aunt in front of her mother's casket. The priest spoke about death but nothing he said could make Emily feel any better. At the end of his sermon people came up to Emily and Debbie and gave their condolences. When the cemetery was pretty much empty except for just the two. Emily told her Aunt to go and she would meet up with her.

"Hi mom," Emily said, "I can't believe you are gone. I miss you. I am sorry I didn't visit that much. I'm sorry that I didn't call you. I want to let you know that that you are the best. The best mom, the best person and I wish you were here now. I wish you could talk and tell me what to do. _You_ always knew what to do. _I_ don't know what to do. You always knew what to say and what to do and now I feel lost. I feel now that you are gone everything I do is wrong, and everything I have done lately has been wrong. Matt and I got in a fight. Actually I was the only one who fought. I broke it off. I got angry and frustrated and scared. I am so scared, mom, but Aunt Debbie is helping. I'm taking some time off from work and spending some time here in Albany. A little too late, I know." Emily shifted not knowing how to ask what she wanted. She decided on asking flat out, bluntly, "What should I do with Matt. I don't want to break up with him but I don't want him to put his life on hold either. I don't want to hurt him. Now that you are gone… I don't know what to do. I don't know…I can't do… I, I want… I can't imagine a world without you. I feel like these last couple of days has been full of mistakes, nothing but mistakes. It was a mistake that you…you're gone. I feel like bringing Matt out here was a mistake, and I know that breaking up with Matt was a mistake. I want to be with him but I want sometime," Emily said pouring all emotion out. What Emily didn't know was that someone was listening to her. If she turned around she would see him. "I told him to leave and go back to California but now I'm not sure if that is what I wanted. He did _this_ before. I mean he lost his mom when he was a kid. All he wanted to do was help. I wish I brought him out here earlier so you could meet him. You would have gotten along great." Emily started to feel the hairs stand up on the back of her neck and knew someone was standing behind her.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," said Matt, "It was a beautiful ceremony you did a great job."

"Yea," Emily said her back still turned toward him.

"Emily," Matt said.

"Matt," Emily said turning around her head down, "What are you doing here? I thought you were going back to L.A. and why are you eavesdropping?" She was too sad to be angry with him.

"I was at the airport and I just couldn't get on that plane not knowing," Matt said.

"What are you talking about," Emily asked.

"Come on Em," Matt said getting upset, "You are too smart to play the stupid card."

"Matt," Emily started, "I don't want-"

Matt cut her off, "Emily, if you want to take sometime I'll wait."

"I don't want you to wait for me," Emily said, "I don't want to hold you back."

Matt moved forward. He placed his fingers underneath Emily's chin and raised her head so he could look at her, face to face. "I'll wait for you until the end of the world and then some. I love you."

"I love you too."

**A/N: That's it. I hope you liked it. Please tell me what you thought. I may do a sequel. Tell me if you want it or not. If I don't get at least fifteen people who want a sequel I won't write one. It will be about when Emily gets back to L.A. I am starting a new story too. Keep a look out. I'd like to say thanks to everyone who reviewed and helped out: **

**Colonelheather **

**House.Cam-xx**

**TBrennanFan**

**Standofffan**

**Follow-ur-dreams**

**twinmuse**

**writtergirl99**

**cinderella2122**

**DyingThoughtsofME**

**hunnielove**

**KateToddRox**

**And mostly Ilisa. You are the best. **


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